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The Truth About Vanessa Lachey's Post-Baby Body

Jené Luciani

Sometimes life as a new mom is all about smoke and mirrors. Just ask Vanessa Lachey. The 32-year-old Wipeout host and wife of singer Nick admits that those post-baby pics (son Camden is three months old) weren’t the results of hours of working out or some miracle weight-loss diet. We chatted with Lachey—the new spokesperson for Procter & Gamble’s “Have You Tried This Yet?” campaign—about those pictures that had everyone buzzing, plus how her life has changed since becoming a mom.

SHAPE: Everyone’s talking about your fab post-baby body. How did you get back into shape so quickly?Vanessa Lachey (VL): One on hand, I want to say thanks for your kind words. But on the other hand, I want to encourage women out there that there is no perfect “after-baby body!” Truth be told, when those pictures came out, I wasn’t wearing a bikini, so you couldn’t really see my body. I just know how to dress for my body type and was wearing a well-fitting dress with a blazer over it that was fitted in certain areas to mask certain things. It’s hard being in the spotlight because people expect you to lose the weight right away, and some women can hide it better than others. I’m trying so hard still to get into my pre-baby jeans and, believe it or not, I’m still wearing my maternity jeans. Most moms need a fourth trimester.

SHAPE: You’ve always been in great shape, though. How do you fit fitness into your life now that you’re a busy mom?VL: I was a big workout girl when I was pregnant, especially in the beginning. I took the stairs whenever possible and walked around just to stay active because it’s all about how you take care of yourself during pregnancy that matters after. My advice is to not try to hit the gym or even worry about losing the pounds; just stay active. Since I’ve had the baby, I enjoy walks with my husband and baby—that does the trick!

SHAPE: How do you maintain a healthy diet while on the go?VL: You eat when you can as a new mom but make conscious choices. I don’t beat myself up about it. I just try to enjoy my time with my baby and don’t overindulge. It’s all about balance. No one can eat healthy 24/7 unless they have a personal chef, which is very rare.